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Who is Polina Edmunds?

Who is Polina Edmunds?

Polina Edmunds was a 2014 Olympian and is back on the scene after sitting out with an injury

Polina Edmunds, a 2014 Olympian, competed at three world championships. She was sidelined from competition for more than a year with an injury, but is back for the 2017-18 Olympic season.

Music this season:

Short program: "Palladio"by Karl Jenkins

Free skate: Sarah Brightman medley

Figure skating beginnings

Edmunds was born May 18, 1998 in Santa Clara, California. Her mother, Nina, was a figure skater in her youth in Russia. Edmunds began learning to skate at just 19 months old and enrolled in ballet classes when she was 4. She also participated in gymnastics.

Major competitions/ medals

At the Sochi Olympics, Edmunds competed in her first senior-level international competition. She ultimately finished ninth. She continued her stellar season at the world championships, where she placed eighth.

The next year, she placed fourth and eighth at her two assignments on the Grand Prix circuit. At Nationals, she placed fourth. She was sent to the Four Continents Championships, where she came away with the gold medal. At the world championships a few weeks later, she placed eighth again.

For the 2015-16 season, Edmunds again competed on the Grand Prix series. She placed fourth and sixth in her two assignments. At Nationals, she earned a silver medal. But she was sidelined by a bone bruise in her right foot, and did not compete from January 2016 to July 2017.

Breakout moment

Edmunds’ breakout moment came early in the 2013-14 season. She won both of her Junior Grand Prix assignments and placed fourth at the Junior Grand Prix Final. Then, at the 2014 U.S. National Championships, she earned a silver medal and a place on the Sochi Olympic team.

Records held

When Edmunds made the Olympic team in 2014, she was the youngest skater named to the team since Tara Lipinski in 1998.

Top quotes

"I've matured. I feel that I've grown in my skating and performance quality in the last two years. Of course, I want to be number one. It's like that for everyone, but I don't feel like it's far-fetched. Especially this season, if I can perform well with all the content, I think I can do it, especially with how much I've grown. I think that will really shine through this season." – Edmunds told IceNetwork at the start of the Olympic season

Olympic experience

Edmunds competed in Sochi and finished ninth.

Outside the rink

Edmunds is a full-time student at Santa Clara University, majoring in communications. She takes classes in the mornings so she can train in the afternoons.

She also enjoys art, such as painting and drawing, and baking in her spare time.